Neena at Clingstone

Neena at Clingstone

Friday, December 13, 2013

Now that it's getting really cold, I'm not getting much done out on the boat. I've been calling her Neena lately. However, earlier in the week I pulled up the floorboards/sole after removing the bunk fronts and trim. The supports are all wet and rotten and will need to be replaced. I've got some white pine that I've been hoarding for years. I'll mill it up with tongue and groove and lay it down with unbunged screws with several lift out sections so I can get to limber holes. I'll either oil it or paint it. The bunk fronts will require some 1/2 inch okume plywood, painted both sides. There are pieces of lead under the sole which will go back but somehow fastened down with either screws or goop or both so they don't slide around or worse. I'll have to buy some doug fir to use as sole bearers to replace the rotten ones. Since the bilges are so flat, I need to come up with a way for air to circulate everywhere down there, to keep things drier.
  I've known since the start that water had been coming in around the opening ports, either with the ports left open or with bedding problems. So I started removing the ports from the inside and sure enough, there's problems. Some, the plywood core is wet, some, the core isn't wet but was. I'm not sure how I'll deal with it yet.
  So now I've exposed the rotten plywood below and I have a better idea of what needs replacing, I need to start rebuilding. First will be the structural bulkheads in the middle of the cabin that support the transverse loads from the bilge board trunks. They're 1 inch ply and hopefully I can scarph new wood to old in place. Then on to sole supports and some kind of temporary sole along with cleaning and repainting as needed.
  Meanwhile, indoors, I can work on the sails. The nice new Soling main sails need reefs put in. I need to figure out where exactly the two reefs should go. Maybe I can come up with a percentage of areas or something. Then I will lay out the positions of the  tacks and clews followed by the reef points. Sailrite has the parts I need and I can do the rest on my mom's old Necchi machine. Judging from old photos, I want to raise the clew up some which will require cutting the foot of each of the sails. I'll cut a curve in them anyway so their loose footed. I also want to add slugs with shackles to the hoists so the sails remain attached to the masts when lowered. I'll also need sail covers, buy used or make?
  So plenty to do and lots of planning ahead.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Well, here we are almost three weeks into dealing with the new boat, now named "Neena". She's covered and ready for winter but I'm still clambering on board to do stuff.
  Monday and Tuesday, I drove down to N.J. to pick up the trailer. The hauler we hired to bring her up to Seekonk, advised against using her old trailer, because of the expense if there was any problems. I wasn't about to pay someone to haul the trailer, so I was a truck drivin man for a few days. The trailer is 32 feet long, so it was a long day but no problems. It's off to one side in the yard.
  More rotten plywood has been coming out from below, along with bits of old wire and debris. Today was a mixed bag of the good and the bad. The good was finding out one of the transducers works with the Standard ds 45. Now I can get rid of the other two transducers! The bad news was two fold. First I found some serious rust on the bottom of the heat exchanger and nearby fuel pump. Maybe just cleaning up and painting will be enough but I might need some new parts. Then I removed the bunk fronts on the aft two settees and found lots of wet wood at their bases and in the cleats etc. Looks like I'll be pulling up the sole and be dealing with new sole supports and repairs to the structural bulkheads in the middle of the cabin. This is important because of the support the bilge boards need. Oh well, It'll be a whole lot sweeter with new wood down there.
  Spent the better part of yesterday, cruising around to marine consignment shops with my buddy Wayne. I'm looking for a 1 1/4 i.d. tiller head fitting in bronze, to replace the awful steel fabrication, that was on there. No luck but Maybe I'll get lucky. A new one costs upwards of 300 bucks! I was also looking for dodger frames, finding a couple of possibilities.
  Looks like it might be difficult to get all the things done, to be able to go sailing next summer. We'll be lucky to day sail a few times! Of course I under estimated the scope of the project. Every thing has to be looked at and dealt with. At least the basic hull and deck structure are ok. I can live with cosmetic imperfections for awhile but the thru hulls, the steering, the bilge boards, the pumps, basic electrical system, deck and house leaks, misc. small holes, all have to be dealt with, not to mention the engine and the rig. Plenty to do and limited time and money. Same as it ever was. Aren't boats fun.
  Here's a few pictures.

 evil rust 

inboard side of port bilge board trunk with repair and rotten plywood for the bunk face to screw to.

starboard side

very wet at the edge of the sole.